For those that don't know, the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoors Tradeshow (SHOT) sponsored by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) is the largest industry tradeshow in the world for the outdoors community, and it is an event on par with the Superbowl and World Cup rolled into one for the folks that like to get dirty and smell the fresh air.

This year we sent our correspondent Kampfer to poke around SHOT and report back to us on what was new and noteworthy. Here's a list of what he came up with:

In the off chance you have not yet seen it, CRKT has released a new plier based multitool, the Technician:

At first glance it looks pretty standard- butterfly opening plier tool, stuff in the handles.... nice looking with the textured grips, but nothing we haven't seen before, right? Well, maybe, but there's a good reason why this one should stand out.

Yup- as you can see, printed on the head, plain as day is "KLECKER DESIGN" and that name may sound vaguely familiar to you, and with good reason- Glenn Klecker has an impressive resume, at least as far as tool design goes. Currently he is running his own shop at www.kleckerknives.com (and the Multitool.org Store is an authorized Klecker Dealership) and he is churning out plastic and wooden knife and multitool kits, as well as the current cell phone case tool, the Stowaway and the axe multitool called the KLAX but he has also designed another tool that you may have heard of.

Yup, before setting off on his own or hooking up with CRKT, Glenn was a designer for Leatherman and was instrumental in designing the Skeletool, which is the progenitor of multiple other Leatherman models such as the MUT, Signal, Freestyle and Style series tools. Not a bad resume huh?

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!

Glenn is also an MTO member, and has been since the early days, although he doesn't usually advertise it. So, we should be even more interested in this tool since it comes from one of us.

Of course we aren't idiots that blindly buy things because we are told to, right? We need to know if something really works, and that is the bottom line for this whole site- reviewing multitools, seeing what works and what doesn't, so let's look at the tool itself, an maybe do some speculating here and there. :D

CRKT has this to say about it:

Doing it yourself? There’s a pride in that. To end the day with dirty hands and tired bones marks success in our book. And to get the job done right, there’s one thing we can’t go without: a damn good multi-tool. Shadetree mechanics and automotive masters, meet your new best friend: the Technician™.

We can gather from the images that it seems to be a bit smaller than the usual butterfly opening tool, but perhaps a bit more robust looking. It sort of reminds me of the compact stoutness of the surprisingly decent DeWalt M-16, which I consider a good thing. Further, it appears that the Technician will also include a One Hand Opening blade with a thumb stud, which could potentially be removed for places where one hand opening is a no no. Good move!

Considering how many times I wish a multitool had a scraper (at least in the times I am not carrying a SwissTool or Spirit) I think I am going to appreciate it's inclusion in the Technician.

And look at that plier head! They don't come much more robust looking than that- Glenn and CRKT obvious intend for this thing to be used [i]hard[/i].

Inside it looks like a modest, but reasonable selection of tools, which is great because I for one am sick of carrying around tools with a thousand functions when I only need like 6 of them. CRKT ofers the following specs:

So, it comes with a sheath, but it looks like the G10 might be thick enough for a pocket clip mod if you wanted.... plus the [i]textured[/i] handles seem like they are a long time coming! No plastic, no slippery steel, a real, hard wearing textured, grippy material at last!

I have to say that I think I am really looking forward to this one. The design is right, the research is right, the form factor is right, the materials seem right.... I think this might be a serious contender for Multitool of the Year.... in 2018. :facepalm:

Yup, not available until January, 2018, which is a bit frustrating, but it could be the most exciting new tool we have to look forward to- and at an MSRP of $89.99 I think there is some serious potential here.

Ever have a secret that you want to tell but you can't? It gets a lot worse when it's a case of you can't tell yet. I have- in fact, I have been really resisting the urge to go public with something that we have been working on for a while, but it's finally time!

Yes indeed, we started our own store to facilitate all of your multitool, pocket knife and outdoors gear needs- oh yeah, and we have some super cool Multitool.org exclusive gear as well! You can get cool things like one of our Patent Series T Shirts, or a Tenth Anniversary Poker Chip, along with the latest SOG tools, all in the same place, and feel confident that the money you spend is going to support the greatest Multitool Collector and User Resource website on the planet!

But that's not all- until April 09, 2017 use the code MTOLAUNCH and get 10% off storewide!

And, with new products being added daily, keep checking back because you never know what you'll find!

It is that time again- time to have your say and make your voice heard! I know many of the readers out there may be sick of voting by now, but trust me, this time it's something important! It's the Official 2016 Multitool.org Multitool Of The Year Award, and we want you to help us choose the winner!

Every year we vote on the Multitool.org Multitool Of The Year by selecting all of the tools that were released in 2016 and getting you, the multitool users to decide which one you like best- or in this case, onesbecause you are allowed up to three votes which means you don't have to pick one or another! That is after all the MTO way!

Voting will be open until December 27th, just in case Santa delivers you a little something that changes your opinions, and we will announce the winner on December 28th.

Every year we have folks try to come up with a criteria of what constitutes the “best” multitool so that voting can be seen as impartial, but in the end I don't believe people should be told what to vote for, which is why you get multiple votes. “Best” could mean the one you like the most, it could mean which one is the best bang for the buck, it could mean whatever you prefer to carry and use the most- it's wide open for you to determine which tool you feel has earned the title BEST MULTITOOL OF 2016!

In case you aren't familiar with some/all of the tools, here are a few links to get you up to date:

It's that time of year, and if you are thinking of asking for a tool for Christmas, or getting one for someone else but aren't sure what to get, here are some ideas (in no particular order!) on what to look for!

The old standby, you couldn't have a list like this without it! The Leatherman Wave's one handed opening blades have made it one of the most popular tools on the market, and a favorite of users everywhere. Plus, it can be carried either in the sheath or, with the available clip, discretely and conveniently in your pocket!

From the makers of the world famous Swiss Army Knife comes the Spirit, the sleekest, most ergonomic multitool available, and it has more functions than pretty much any other tool too! As if that wasn't enough, it's handles are perfect for engraving a personalized message, name, date or anything else on for a gift with that personal touch!

This year's hottest must-have tool, the Gerber Center-Drive features Gerber's traditional sliding head plier design, one handed opening blade and a fold out screwdriver that follows along the centerline of the tool to make it easier to tighten that hard to reach screw. Another big benefit is the Center Drive is brand new, (released November 1st) so there's good chance they don't already have this one!

Like the Gerber Center-Drive, the Third Generation Micro Tool Clip is brand new- it's actually a 2017 model that was released early, specifically for Pre-Christmas sale! And, the price is certainly right- for a mere $20 you can pick up a gift set that includes a Micro Tool Clip and a Centi II knife, which was also not expected to be on shelves until the New Year.

CRKT Viva

Designed by Liong Mah, the CRKT Viva is a one piece tool that features a bottle opener, multi sized wrench, and screwdriver/pry bar in a package that makes it very easy to carry and use- simply slip it on a bag strap or belt loop and away you go! It's the lightest of the bunch, but is robust enough to tackle any jobs that come it's way!

Whatever tool you decide to get, you can be assured that each of the above are going to come in handy for years to come!

Anyone familiar with CRKT knives and tools knows that CRKT has never been interested in making the “same old, same old” kind of product, and you have to respect both their ability to create new and exciting products and share the lime light with their designers. Elsewhere designers aren’t credited on a product unless they have a big name, and how are you supposed to get a big name without being able to put it on anything?

Ken Onion (who was one of those big names prior to his involvement with CRKT) seems to really be flourishing with CRKT and has produced a number of beautiful designs there. The latest is the Field Strip technology which allows a complete disassembly of the knife for cleaning, wherever you are. I have yet to handle one of these, but I can say that in my personal experience this could be very beneficial. Just this past weekend I accidentally dropped my trusty Victorinox Compact in the sand, where it was subsequently stomped by dogs, ensuring an even distribution of grit and grime in all of the joints. It would have been handy to be able to take it apart instead of having to use more traditional methods.

CRKT is also announcing a new version of the Eat’n Tool, this time in everyone’s favorite metal, titanium. Designer Liong Mah has been wanting to do a titanium version for some time and now it is finally happening. I am a huge fan of the Eat’n Tool, as has been well established in the past, but I am really excited about a non-corrosive version. I’m not sure we need to worry about the other benefits of the titanium- the original Eat’n Tool is already very light and I doubt many of us have the bite strength necessary to damage it, but I’m really looking forward to it anyway.

I would like to wish all of my friends at CRKT a great time at the Outdoor Retailer Show in Salt Lake!

Since the dawn of the knife man has had to sharpen his knife from time to time as the need arises, sharpening is a skilled labor, you have to learn how to use a stone to hone your edge or take the cheating route and use any one of the numerous gimmicks that they have for sharpening. Well Columbia River has a production knife that sharpens itself, I had to see it to believe but it’s true. And best of all, this puppy’s affordable.

Maj. Howard Pope (USAR Ret.) worked in collaboration with Steve Jernigan who is a custom knifemaker and Knifemakers’ Guild member, to create the worlds first self sharpening pocket knife. What makes this baby tick is the 400-grit diamond-coated spring sharpener built into the folder frame, when you look inside the handle you see a thin strip of diamond coated steel held to the frame of the knife by four metal tabs. Every time the knife is either opened or closed the knife’s blade runs along the diamond surface creating a burr on the other side. The blade style on this knife is sheepsfoot and due to the nature of the sharpening device it’s comes only with a chisel grind. CRKT even had to go with a steel soft enough that would easily be sharpening by the internal stone, they chose 420 stainless due to it’s soft properties, it may not be great at holding an edge but when you sharpening your knife virtually all the time, it really doesn’t matter.

Using this knife now for probably a month now and I have noticed some drawbacks to the sharpening method and the blade grind/style. First off, I love wharncliffs and sheepsfoot blade style, nothing is better suited to utility and dirty work that a blade that is straight and gives you a nice point for piercing and cutting. The blade however is very robust, good in which it is very strong and can withstand a lot of abuse, but sometimes so thick that I think the size of the blade has a problem with the angle of the edge and it’s so steep that it looses its edge rather quickly. A more shallow angle and thinner stock for the blade may help in edge retention and ease in which is slices but I doubt the knife would be able to undergo the abuse it takes already.

The knife comes with no locking mechanism, due to the internal sharpening device there was no room to put a lock, instead CRKT has a very robust spring to hold the knife opened and closed. At first you think, man this knife opens up hard! But with some use you get use to it, and with it being non-locking it gives people all over the world to try it. (Darn knife laws) The Handle of the knife is plastic with rubber inserts, good hand purchase and control with this knife, it doesn’t take long at all to get use to and comfortable with knife. Classic design mixed with ingenious technology, it’s great that so many custom knife makers get to work with knife companies to allow lower priced models that most of us would never be able to handle otherwise.

I have used this knife to do everything from cutting plastic straps, rope, and a mountain of cardboard and I must say that I am surprised how much this knife takes. Yes the edge does dull quicker than most knives, and after long cutting sessions I have to repeatedly open and close the blade 10+ times to give the blade a decent edge again. Overall the self sharpening aspect is a novel idea, maybe even giving it a wow factor but being the first of its kind it’s far from perfect. Because of the burr which is created on one side it creates a rough jagged edge which they claim “aids” in the cutting but I am so use to having a smooth edge I have to strop it on cardboard or use a ceramic rod to smooth the edge.

I am an old fashion kind of guy and so use to doing things the old way that using the edgie has been an interesting experience for me, it’s got some good and bad points that I am sure CRKT may even work out if they make a second model. If not I give credit where credit it due, they pulled off not only making a knife that sharpens itself but is affordable as well. The CRKT Edgie can be had for $30, not a bad steal for a knife you can really abuse. It’s a good present to friends of yours that aren’t knife savvy and don’t know how to sharpen one. Hats off to the folks at CRKT.

Recently Tom Stokes designed a knife around another designers revolutionary opening design, which resulted in the Fulcrum Flame, a knife I own and like very much. Inspiration struck Tom again when looking at the Ashworth Turtle knife, and this time the result is the Gekkota. The Gekkota however has more in common with the money clip or dog tag style tools usually found in promo catalogues or discount outlets- or rather it's function has more in common with them. The overall quality of the Gekkota is the usual CRKT standard.

So what is it? Basically it's a small money clip type frame with a bail for hanging from a lanyard or chain, and tucked inside is a small, robust knife blade and a combo tool featuring a flathead screwdriver and bottle opener. The rear scale holds a wide clip suitable for pockets or cash, and the front scale is a bright green with a gecko relief on it that gives this tool it's name. Why a gecko? People like geckos (ask your car insurer if you don't believe me!), and it somewhat honors the reptilian nature of the Ashworth design.

I've been carrying and using this tool for a few weeks now, and I've come to appreciate it's simplicity and “cute factor.” In most places knives, even Swiss Army Knives and multitools are frowned upon by the masses- not the Gekkota. Folks who previously recoiled in horror at the sight of my latest knife now are curious about this one.

By the numbers, the Gekkta is a contender as well- both tools are one handed opening via a small protrusion at the base of the spine. It might take a little getting used to with such a diminutive tool, but it's actually quite manageable. If your hands are too big to manage it comfortably, there's a nail nick in the side of the blade that allows a more traditional two handed opening method. The small blade locks open with a respectable click, and seems to hold the blade securely enough for any of the tasks I have subjected this small blade to. Officially the lock is called a frame lock, which is basically a more robust liner type lock that's missing one handle scale.

You have to be careful when using the screwdriver however as the rounded design and no lock means that it folds very easily during use and that can make a mess of your hands. I tried replacing the third brake light in my Jeep with it and had to be extremely careful to not have it fold on me. Still, this is a light duty screwdriver and I would consider ¾ inch long rusty screws to be moderate duty, so the Gekkota didn't do too badly all things considered. And, I'm certain the bottle opener is more likely to see more use than the screwdriver on this one anyway!

The only real issue I have with the Gekkota is that the lock cutout in the frame works against the clip somewhat by catching on whatever you are trying to clip the Gekkota onto. When used as a money clip it can catch on the bills hen you insert them and tear them. You can also feel it grabbing onto clothing when you clip it on or try to remove it.

In addition to the standard Gekkota there is also a golfing version with a removable magnetic ball marker on the front and the blade is replaced with a divot repair tool. Since I can't swing a club to save my life, I'm not able to properly test this version or report on it's usefulness.

Overall I like this tool. It is handy to have when a larger tool is too inconvenient or unwelcome but it's limited functions means it won't get you out of any serious jams. It's a perfect tool for wife or girlfriend since it's “cute” and they may actually carry it with them. In fact, I have gotten a lot of comments on the Gekkota since I've been carrying it, and it's been primarily from women who have tried to take it.

Sometimes the simplest designs are the best, which explains the myriad of one piece tools on the market these days. The Spare Tool follows that example in spirit if not in form. Technically it has more than one piece in the design, and is somewhat larger than the average one piece tool like Atwood's Prybaby, Gerber's Shard or Raker's Ring Tool. However, it does fit the pattern of a basic prybar, bottle opener and a few other functions rolled into one basic piece of steel like the others.

At first glance the Spare Tool is nothing more than a pry bar with a bottle opener cut into it- something every tradesman should have in my experience! The pry bar has a substantial notch cut into it for pulling nails, and it's also got a slight edge inside which is handy for cutting twine and is also effective for slicing open clamshell packages- the bane of the 21st century consumers.

After extensive testing, I can also attest to how well the bottle opener works, but by mutual consent, the details of that testing phase are classified. Suffice it to say, it does what a bottle opener should- it opens bottles. In addition to the bottle opener and prybar functions, the Spare Tool also has a 1/4” wrench which can be used by itself to loosen stubborn computer case screws, or in conjunction with the double ended screwdriver bit nestled in the body of the Spare Tool. The double ended screwdriver has both a flathead and phillps end which is typical for an EDC type tool. Because it has to tuck into the body of the tool it's fairly short, but you shouldn't have too much trouble reaching in to get screws recessed up to about ¾ of an inch deep which is not bad for a multitool- many more expensive tools don't have that kind of reach. Plus, since it's a standard 1/4” wrench, it should fit any 1/4” bit, which can be obtained almost anywhere, so if you find yourself needing different types of bits (Torx, Posi-drive, Robertson etc) or different lengths, then you can carry those along too. Because the bit is held at 90 degrees to the main body of the Ta-Bar Tool it works as a T-shank type screwdriver, allowing for a significant amount of torque to be applied as well.

While this next feature may be controversial in it's usefulness, it is there nonetheless- under a molded plastic cover is a very sharp chisel ground blade, similar in shape to a box cutter or utility blade. Did I mention it was sharp? Out of the box this thing cuts like a razor blade and should be very easy to maintain due to the flat grind. It also has a very sharp point which is very handy for marking or boring holes, but may be somewhat fragile- I haven't wanted to risk the nice tip by subjecting it to any torture tests! Suffice it to say, you should probably not use this knife to stab any armored individuals if you want to keep it in good shape! The controversy comes from whether or not the sheath will hold on to the blade well enough when using the opposite end of the tool as a pry bar. If it isn't then the user could end up with a significant cut to their hands. The edge, in case I haven't mentioned this previously, is very sharp, and adding pressure when prying, couples with even a small slip or sheath failure could result in serious injury. However, the Spare Tool is designed for light prying, and this should be kept in mind when using it. If you feel you are putting significant pressure on the Ta-Bar Tool during use, put it away and get a dedicated pry bar.

Along the spine of the Spare Tool is a small ruler with inches on one side and centimeters on the other. It measures up to 3 inches or ten centimeters, which can come in handy for things like writing a review of the Spare Tool when you forgot your tape measure and calipers. I don't usually use the ruler function on any multitools, but the few times I have, I have appreciated that they were there, and the Spare Tool is no exception.

The sheath itself is little more than a plastic cover- it's a pancake style sheath, with two thin layers of a kydex-like plastic molded over it and rivete together on three sides. It's a bit bulky, and has no clip or loop of any kind for carry/mounting purposes. The hollow rivets are handy in that you could use some paracord to strap it to something or create your own belt loop, and it looks similar enough to many neck knife type sheaths to make you think you could carry it on a lanyard around your neck. I wouldn't suggest this as an option as the sheath does not hold the Spare Tool securely enough for upside down carry, and a sudden jolt could cause you to lose it. The bottom line here is that the Spare Tool is an inexpensive tool that can be very effective under the right circumstances. I can see the benefits of this tool for a contractor or do-it-yourself-er as it combines a number of useful tools that are versatile and easy to access and use. As with any multitool, you shouldn't expect the Spare Tool to replace a strap cutter, box cuter, pry bar, measuring tape and screwdriver, but it can be used for quick jobs that don't warrant crossing the room to the toolbox. When used within it's capacity, and based on it's suggested retail price (under $20) I see no reason why everyone shouldn't have a Spare Tool.

Like many other folks, my first thoughts on the new CRKT Eat'n Tool were less than serious, and I wondered how any real multitool enthusiast or user would make use of this tool. After carrying and using this tool I realized I was looking at this tool all wrong- it's not an Every Day Carry (EDC) type tool, it's a specialized tool for a camper or hiker who wants a lightweight spork with some extra functionality for maintaining equipment. For the type of user who really cares about weight, the Eat'n Tool might just be the ticket.

When you boil the Eat'n Tool down, it's basically a spork with a few extra cutouts that allow for other functions. The spork area is significantly sized for a decent mouthful of stew and the tines are just long enough to spear a good sized hunk of potato or steak, but I'd like the tines to be a little less pointy and perhaps a little longer. The tines as they are don't hold the food morsels as securely as I'd like, although my dogs sure appreciate it! The spoon could also be a bit deeper, but all in all it functions well enough and I have no serious complaints.

Also built into the Eat'n Tool is a bottle opener, a flathead screwdriver and three hexagonal wrench cutouts, although it surprises me that none are standard 1/4” sized which could have come in handy for use with 1/4” screwdriver bits. I can only assume that the three cutouts are sized for fitting hiking equipment that I don't personally have. This shouldn't be considered a serious drawback though, as I am not a hiker due to a bad foot and some arthritis, not because the equipment it is meant to be used on is obscure. I will be sure to try it on the various components of my Coleman stove.

The bottle opener recieved some extensive testing since it arrived, and seems more than adequate, even when the bottles start to get a little blurry! The substantial sized handle offers a significant amount of leverage for prying off a cap. I could however see some potential for increasing it's functionality by sharpening the inside for a guthook/strap cutter that could also open prepackaged food items, or a protruding cutter blade so it could double as a can opener. However, the bottle opener opens bottles well, and that's really all you really need from a bottle opener!

Lastly we come to the screwdriver, which functions about as well as any other flathead- it's really hard to screw one of those up, and designer Liong Mah wisely decided not to get fancy with it. The nice thing about it is that it's oriented at approximately 90 degrees to the rest of the tool so it can be used safely with a significant amount of torque, however it doesn't have any reach, so expect to only use it on surface mounted screws- it won't reach anything recessed more than about a quarter of an inch.

There have been rumors about the Eat'n Tool being used as a self defense weapon, although there is no documentation at all from Columbia River to support this. It isn't mentioned as a potentially defensive weapon anywhere in the catalogue or on the CRKT Website, however almost everyone who has heard of the Eat'N Tool seems to be under the impression that they'd seen or heard about this possibility somewhere, and everyone has an opinion on how effective it would be. Originally, the custom version designed by Liong Mah and produced by Sal Merino was supposed to be available as a last ditch weapon for women. In my opinion, for what it's worth, I'd say that if you are in a situation that calls for a defensive weapon, the Eat'N Tool could be used, in as much as anything else could be- a pocket knife, climbing spikes, flashlight, keys or any other item. If for some reason you are silly enough to go looking for a fight, I suggest you look for something else though, as this is hardly an optimal weapon.

The bottom line on this tool is this- The Eat'N Tool is a must for any backpacker, hiker or camper who plans on eating outside of a restaurant or dining room. It's inexpensive and functional. Many people carry a spork when venturing outdoors because at some point, everyone needs to eat, so why not have one that fulfills other needs as well- especially if you are very weight conscious on your outings. The Eat'N Tool may just save you having to carry a multitool as well, provided it's options fit your other gear.